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Grand-Am: TRG to test five cars at Daytona

November 30, 2011

The Racer's Group plans to field five cars at the 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

The Racer's Group on Wednesday said it will test five cars and 14 drivers during the Grand-Am Series' winter test on Dec. 6-7 at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona in January.

Last year, TRG fielded five cars in the Rolex 24 and won the GT class for the fourth time. Team owner Kevin Buckler anticipates a similar showing, with five cars again scheduled to race in 2012.

TRG will take a multifaceted approach to its first test of the 2012 season. It will use the track time to test parts, dial-in setups, closely study the new tires and get a feel for its two new 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars. Buckler indicated that while this isn't the final driver lineup, it is an important opportunity to look at driver combinations before making a final decision.

"This test is huge," Buckler said in a team statement. "We are five cars strong, all filled with great guys. We have a great group of drivers coming down to help us dial-in these cars and to be sure we are on top of our game with the 2012 rules and regulations--not to mention testing parts and theories that our engineers have spent countless hours developing this past year. We're really excited to begin to get to our final driver lineup for these five cars."

For the Dec. 6-7 test, defending Rolex 24 winners Steve Bertheau and Spencer Pumpelly will be teammates as they hope to build upon their 2011 successes. The pair shared a Grand-Am GT win at Watkins Glen International in August.

Ben Keating, fresh off of his 2011 Dodge Viper Cup championship, will be back with TRG at Daytona for the second straight year. Keating will race alongside driver Carlos Gomez, who enjoyed several successes in 2011 with podiums in Canada and at Laguna Seca in the IMSA GT3 Cup Series.

NASCAR team owner/driver Michael Waltrip, team co-owner Rob Kauffman and their co-driver Rui Aguas will join TRG for another test. Kauffman and Aguas most recently drove a Ferrari at Petit Le Mans after all three went to France to race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2011.

Venezuelan touring-car champion Emilio Di Guida will return to TRG after three late-season runs with its ALMS GTC program. Di Guida will be joined by Bob Doyle and Jack McCarthy. Doyle, a longtime professional motocross rider and Ferrari Challenge driver, returns to the Rolex 24 for the second consecutive year. McCarthy will drive with TRG for the first time after several successful seasons in the Porsche Club of America.

Dr. Ron Yarab, a Rolex 24 veteran, will be alongside GT3 Challenge series winner Mike Hedlund. Hedlund will drive with TRG for the first time in the Daytona test.

Returning to the team is open-wheel-racing veteran Eliseo Salazar, who will share track time with fellow Chilean drivers Sebastian de Carcer, Eduardo Costabal and Patricio Bornand.

The team will participate in the Jan. 6-8 "Roar Before the 24" event at Daytona International Speedway following the test. TRG expects to announce its final driver lineup before to end of this year.